Process of and apparatus for refining crude oils



Nov. 18, 1924 C. L. FREELAND PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR REFINING CRUDE OILS Filed 06tlO 1919 A TTRHEVS T\ j T Patente Nov. ld, V1924i,

CLAUDE LESLIE FREELND, 0F BRISTUW, OKLAHQMA.

PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS FOR REFXNIN@ CR'UDE 0I Application filed ctober l0, 1919. Serial No. 329,725.

To all whom t 'may concern.' v

Be it known that l, CLAUDE LEsLrE Fiann- LAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bristow, in the county of Creek.

and State of Oklahoma, have invented cer tain new and useful improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for Refining Crude Oils, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in process and apparatus for refining crude oils', and has for its object to provide a simple, easily controlled and economical process and apparatus. I

ll will describe' one process and one form of apparatus, each embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

in the drawings:

Figure l is aperspective view of the apparatus,

Figures 2 and Sere sections taken substantially on the lines 2`2 and 3-3 of Figure 1. A

The improved process consists in pumping the crude oil under pressure through heated tubes, and in afterwards discharging the heated oil under pressure in a direction to cause the same to Whirl about an axis as it travels longitudinally ol the axis, and in arranging means at the axis for collecting and removing the high gravity vapors.

'llhe apparatus for carrying out the process comprises in the present instance a steam heater 1 in the form of a cylindrical casing having arranged therein a series of tubes 2 lor the oil. rlhc ends of these tubes are set in headers- 17 The oil is admitted to the casing lofi/.a` feed pipe 3 from any suitable source ol supply. rlhe steam is supplied to the casing 1 from any suitable source of supply by a feed pipe d, so as to circulate around the tubes. rllhe heater has a steam pressure indicator 5 and a crude oil' pressure indicator 6, the latter being con-` nected with the tubes and the former with the interior of the casing. i

A `shell or casing 7 is supported co-axially with the casing 1 at thedelivery end thereof by a suitable pedestal 8, and supported within this casing 7 is another casing 9 ol relatively small diameter and of relatively great length. and 9 is closed at each end of the casing 7 by a gland or packing in any other 'suitable manner as indicated at 10, andthe The space between the easings 7 heated crude oil is supplied to the casing 9 by pipes 11, which lead from the heater 1 to the interior of the casing 9. Each of these pipes is controlled by a valve 12, and the pipes l1 are introduced tangentially into the casing 9 (Fig. 2) so that the sprayed oil will whirl about the axis of the casing 9, as it travels longitudinally of the casing. This longitudinal whirling of the oil causes it to collect around the wall of the casing, the heavier ortions assembling close to the casing while llie lighter portions remain'on the center of vortex. The space. between the casings 7 and 9 is heated by steam from the heater, the said steam being conducted from the heater to the said space by a pipe 13.

Means is provided for collecting the vapor at the center of the aforesaid vortex and for conveying said vapor to a condenser. rlhe said means comprises a pipe ld held coaxially with the pipe or casing 9 and extending into the said pipe a distance corresponding approximately to one-third ol the lenh ol the casing 7. The residue ol the oi is carried away from the casing 9 by a pipe 15, and an exhaust valve 16 lor exhaust steam is provided in the casing 7 at the end re- .mote Jlrorn the heater. rll`he heater l is supported by a suitable foundation 17, and the foundation 17a and the pedestal 8 may be furnaces it desired to heat the casings and 1, instead of using steam. 'llhe casing 9 is held in spaced relation with respect to the casing 7 in any suitable manner, as for instance by spiders, and the pipe 1d is similarly supported lrorii the casing 9. The vapor collecting tube or pipe lll is longitudinally adjustable in the casing 9, so that the point where it takes up the vapor mayv be varied. i

The adjustment may be edected by any well known means and the mere friction between the collecting tube and the casing 9 serves to hold the tube to the adiustlnent.

Although l have herein shown and described only one process and one apparatus for refining crude oil, it is to be understood that various changes and modications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

l claim:

l. Apparatus lor refining crude oil conilll@ the casings, connecting means between the inner casing and heater fon delivering the heated oil to the` inner casing, means associated with said connecting means for irn.

casi

Znpparatus for refining crude oil comprising a heater for the crude oil, tubular concentric casings spaced apart from each other, means for heating the space between the casings, means connected to the Outer casing for establishing communication between said space and the atmosphere, connecting' means between the inner casing andthe heater for delivering the heated oil tothe inner casing, means associated with said connecting means for imparting a whirlringymotion `to the heated oil as it is introduced into the inner casing causing a separation of the low gravity products from the high gravity products while moving longitudinally thereof, means at the delivery end of the inne-r casing for collecting the vapor at the cen-ter of the whirling oil, and means connected with the inner casing for conducting away residual oil.

3, Apparatus for refining crude oil comprising a! heater for the crude oil, tubular concentric casings spaced apart from each other, means for heating the space vbetween Athe casings, connecting means between the inner casing and the heater for delivering the heated oil to the inner casing, means associated with said connecting means for injecting the oil tangentially to impart a Lammers whirling motion thereto about the axis of said casing so as to separate the low gravity products from the high gravity products while moving longitudinally thereof, and means projecting into the inner casing at the delivery end thereof for collecting the highv gravity products which assemble at the center of the whirling oil.

4. The combination in apparatus for refining crude oil comprising concentric casings, means for injecting heated oil into one end of the inner casing to cause it to take a spiral motion longitudinally of said casing, means at the other end of the casing for separately collecting the lighter products of the oil assembled in the center ot' the whirl, and means for heating the space around the inner casingl 5. Apparatus for refining crude oil comprising a tubular casing, means for delivering heated oil tangentially of the casing vat one end to thereby impart a whirling movement to the oil about the axis of the casing and cause the separation of the heavier prod-v ucts from the lighter products while the oil moves longitudinallyv of the casing, and means .disposed and adjustable axially of the casing to conduct away the lighterv at the center' of the j ucts assembled at the center of the vortex.

CLAUDE LESLIE FREELAND. 

